Spring-bolt



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. COPELAND, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPRING-BOLT.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 16,228, dated December 16, 1856.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM E. Corn- LAND, of Fall River, in the countyof Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented an ImprovedSpring-Bolt for Doors; and I do hereby declare that the same is fullydescribed and represented in the following specification and theaccompanying drawings, of which Figure 1, exhibits a top view of one ofmy improved bolts. Fig. 2, a side elevation of it. Fig. 8, a vertical,central and longitudinal section. Fig. 4:, a transverse section of it.Fig. 5, an underside view of it.

I11 such drawings A, is the bolt and B, its case, the former beingadapted to the lattbr so as to be capable of being moved longitudinallytherein. A long chamber or slot formed dovetailed or trapezodial incross section, as shown in Fig. 4, is made in said bolt. Vithin thechamber there are arranged a main springg'D, and a secondary spring E,(represented respectively in Figs. 3 and 5) which are placed end to endand so that one shall bear against the other, the rear end of themainspring being made to bear against a stud, F, extended from the caseB, as shown in Fig. 3. The front end of the secondary spring restsagainst that of the chamber C. In constructing such chamber, its leastwidth transversely should be less than the diameter of the main-spring,while its greatest width should be suchv as to enable the mainspring tobe placed within the chamber as seen in the drawings.

The bolt case is constructed with an opening or slot formed through itsbottom as seen at a Z) 0 (Z, in Fig. 5, and at G, in Figs. 3 and 4, thetwo springs D, and E, being of such Width, that when the bolt is drawnbackward far enough to so contract the springs as to bring the coils ofeach of them, in close contact with one another, the said bolt shall notbe far enough back as to admit of its being detached from its case, bybeing moved laterally through the opening a b 0 (Z. Besides this, themainspring should be made of such length as to allow the bolt to be sodetached from its case when the secondary spring E, is not in placewithin the chamber C. Furthermore, the said secondary should beconstructed of such a length, that when it is entirely contracted, thedistance between its ends, shall be, less than its diameter and alsoless than the least width of the slot or so as to bring it end to endwith the main spring.

By removing the secondary spring from its chamber, by simply contractingsaid spring and turning it around in the chamber, and then drawing itthrough the slots C, b 0 (Z, we shall have prepared the bolt, so that itmay be removed from its case, it being understood, that, under suchcircumstances, the bolt may be drawn back far enough to allow of itsbeing turned laterally through the slot a, Z), 0, (Z, the case B, beingconstructed so as to allow the bolt to be so A moved.

The object had in view in the devices above described, has been toenable the case B, to be constructed in one entire casting or piece ofmetal and at the same time to construct the springs and the bolt thateach shall mutually assist in maintaining the other in place in thecase.

In the rear part of the bolt I form a recess or chamber, f, for thereception of one arm, 6, of a bent or right angled lever H, such leverturning on a fulcrum or pin arranged as seen at g, and extended throughthe bolt and the lever. At the vertex of the angle of the lever H, thereis placed a small stud, h, as shown in Fig. 3, it being constructed soas to stop or arrest the lever, when the bolt is thrown backward and thelever in the position as shown in Fig. 3, the lever under suchcircumstances having the end of its arm, 6, in contact with the case B,as seen in said figure. In this way, the lever serves to hold back thebolt. During the forward movement of the bolt, the arm, 6, of the leverH, passes into the case B. WVhen it may be desirable to retract thebolt, the thumb of a persons hand is to be borne against the arm 2' ofthe lever H, until the bolt is forced backward and the lever so moved onits fulcrum as to be in a position to arrest the forward movement of thebolt under the pressure of the main spring. In order to permit the boltto be forced forward by its spring, it will be necessary to pressagainst the arm, 2', of the lever so as to depress the other arm, 6,into the recess, f, all of which may either be accomplished by a slightblow or pressure against the rear side of the arm, a.

My particular arrangement and mode of applying the lever, H, to the bolthas the advantage of presenting the lever in a very convenient positionfor withdrawal of the bolt, by the hand applied to said lever. Itoperates diflerently from the lever shown and described in thespecification of Oliver H. Bushs patent, such patent bearing date Augustfifth, A. D. 1851; for this last named device, when turned upon itsfulcrum operates like a cam to withdraw the bolt, whereas, by thearrangement construction and application of the lever, H, with referenceto the bolt, A, as hereinbefore described no such action of the levertakes place during the act of withdrawal of the bolt, the said lever, H,serving only as a stop to the bolt, after its retraction has beeneffected by the lever acting like the knob of any ordinary slide bolt.

I do not pretend to claim combining a lever with a bolt and for thepurpose of moving said bolt rearward, because such is a very oldapplication of a well known device; nor do I claim so combining a leverwitha spring bolt and its case as to operate the bolt substantially inthe manner as described in the specification of the patent of the saidBush, that is to say, so that it shall operate not only as a cam lever,but as a stop; nor do I claim applying to a bolt or a rod, a lever and astop, and in such manner that, the bolt or rod, not only may be moved bypower applied to the lever, but may be stopped or held in place by thestop acting against the lever, for such is an old and well knowncontrivance, but

What I do claim is 1. My improved arrangement of the stop lever H, withrespect to the bolt, and so as to operate therein, and into and out ofthe bolt case substantially as specified.

2. And 'I also claim combining with the main spiral spring, D, thesecondary and separate spiral spring E (or, its equivalent) when thebolt is applied to its case, and. the springs are arranged within atrapezoidal recess or chamber of the bolt, and made so as to operateessentially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 22nd day ofApril, 1856.

WM. E. COPELAND.

Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, F. P. HALE, J r.

